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Coming off a season that saw them rocket up the standings to second place in the region and eighth in the nation, the County College of Morris baseball team is looking to continue that hot streak when its 2018 campaign kicks off on Saturday, March 3.

Titans men’s baseball is one of the more storied athletic programs at County College of Morris with three trips to the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series and more than 50 former players reaching the professional leagues. A successful 2017 season resulted in being crowned as the Garden State Athletic Conference Champions.

Head coach Brian Eberly said it is realistic the team will be able to win the region once more, possibly even heading to the NJCAA Division II College World Series.

“Our goal is to win the region and get to the College World Series,” said Eberly, who has been with CCM for the past eight seasons. “I think it’s very realistic. We won the conference last year. We’ve put more players into the big leagues than any other New Jersey junior college. We’ve been to the College World Series on three different occasions here and it’s got a strong history and we’ve done well recently as well.”

The makeup of the team has changed from last year, and this is reflected in the Titans being unranked by the NJCAA coming into this season, according to Eberly.

“We have a lot of new faces this year,” Eberly said. “We lost a lot of sophomores after last year. But I think we’re a little underappreciated going into this year. We went 41-8, finished eighth in the nation last year, and we are unranked to start the season this year. We’ve got a lot of proving ourselves to do.”

Eberly said he has placed an emphasis on strengthening the bullpen this year. The Titans lost a majority of their pitchers as last year’s sophomore pitchers graduated and moved on to four-year programs.

“We lost a large majority of our pitching staff, so we’ve been working hard at molding a lot of young guys and new guys,” Eberly said. “I think we’ll hit well. It’s just a matter of throwing strikes.”

Titans have begun preseason conditioning to get ready at the start of the season in March. The team exercises in the weight room together and pitchers are beginning to throw bullpen.

“Since I’m a pitcher, we lift four days a week and throw bullpen at least twice a week,” said John Lynch, sophomore right hand pitcher. “We get a lot of conditioning in … Last year, it was really good because we had a very successful season and this year, I’m just looking forward to being a leader and having another successful year.”

Sophomore infielder Jose Severino said he is pleased with last year’s results and hopes the success will follow into this season.

“We are pushing forward and trying to make it another strong year,” Severino said.

The baseball season consists of 40 plus games in the span of March to the beginning of May unless the team reaches the playoffs and more games are played later in May. Titans players must remain consistent, according to Eberly, in order to not lose focus on the end goal of reaching the playoffs.

“We play a pretty strong schedule which I think will help prepare us for our conference games,” Eberly said. “We’ve got a pretty good group as far as the way we practice and support each other and motivate each other. I think it helps to push guys to not slack off or go into deep slumps because there’s other guys around them available if needed.”

According to Eberly, many of the Titans sophomore players from last season were placed into four-year universities to further their career playing college baseball.

“I think we placed every one of our sophomores last year,” Eberly said. “We’ve got kids, not Division I in New Jersey, but DI elsewhere in the country and other schools in New Jersey.”

Eberly placed importance on his role as coach in the decision process for the players especially regarding the difference in support that occurs between players and two-year coaches versus a coach at a higher, four-year level.

“It’s sort of an even mix between college coaching where I’m recruiting and bringing talent in but also doing a lot to help promote kids to the next level and help kids pursue careers and college choices when they leave here,” Eberly said. “It kind of gives me more to do and more ways to help and influence.”

The Titans are members of the Garden State Athletic Conference and NJCAA Region XIX at the Division II level. Students can catch their home opener against Union County College Wednesday, March 21 at the CCM baseball field near Parking Lot 9.

Titans end five season postseason drought with 76-71 win

By Brett FriedensohnEditor-in-Chief

The men’s basketball team at County College of Morris advanced to the regional championship tournament for the first time since 2013 with a 76-71 win against Raritan Valley Community College Tuesday, Jan. 30.

After the regular season ends Thursday, March 1, the Titans will compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XIX Division II championship tournament consisting of local community college teams; all eligible colleges are in New Jersey, Delaware, and eastern Pennsylvania.

A 75-73 loss to Lackawanna College Saturday, Feb. 10 gave CCM a record of 9-4 in region play and 16-8 overall where it remained at presstime when it was third in the division. The Titans closed last season with a record of 1-13 in the region and 5-20 overall.

Head coach Anthony Obery, in his fourth season, is set to lead a team into the playoffs for the first time in his CCM tenure.

“It feels good,” Obery said. “Our biggest strength right now is our mental toughness. I would say that my guys, no matter what situation that we’re in, our guys stay mentally tough throughout the game. That’s one of our biggest strengths, so if you’re down by a couple of points, you still bounce back, and you still come back and win the game.”

Sophomore center Ish Raymond poses his team’s highest three-point shooting percentage at 52.9 and its second highest points per game at 12.9, behind sophomore guard Lamont Williams at 14.5.

Titans center Ish Raymond jumps over an opposing player for a layup against Cumberland County College. Photos By: Brett Friedensohn

“I’ve experienced it on both sides of the spectrum coming from where the team was last year,” said Raymond, a liberal arts major. “It’s amazing to be a part of this journey. I really appreciate the opportunity.”

Raymond said that he and his teammates are confident in their ability to win the region title.

“We’re just getting better with ourselves as a unit,” Raymond said. “That’s really a big focus amongst the team. That helps the mentality going against other teams. We know how to approach games. Yeah, there’s slip ups here and there; we do have flaws plenty, but for the most part, like I said, we really have a good intention to work on ourselves.”

Freshman guard Abraham Kromah flies through the air in a 86- 78 home win against Cumberland County College

Obery said that to find success in the postseason, his team needs to stay consistent, especially on defense.

“We’ve got to stay hungry,” Obery said. “I tell these guys, ‘I know you can score the basketball. I’m not concerned about you scoring the basketball.’ We have to stay disciplined on defense. If we play defense, I don’t think nobody can hang with us.”

Students can see the Titans’ next home game against Raritan Valley at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27 in the Health and Physical Education building gymnasium.

As the new semester begins, many students at County College of Morris and colleges nationwide will face the daunting task of paying for their often expensive and hard- to- find textbooks. In the face of rising textbook prices, major publishers, such as McGraw-Hill Education and Pearson, have started programs allowing students to use more flexible payment options for both textbooks and online access codes. Instead of merely accepting United States currency, publishers will now allow students to pay with their limbs, their everlasting and immortal souls, as well as increments of time off the end of their life.

According to a press release from McGraw-Hill, “We know how hard it is for students to finance their college education. That is why we aim to cut out the middleman and let college enrollees pay us in various physical extremities and organs that can be peddled on the black market, or if they actually need that stuff, in pieces of their eternal and transcendental being that we can trade to power hungry and infernal supernatural beings like Abezethibou and Drekevac.”

Many students at CCM are thrilled with the change in payment.

“Working at Starbucks doesn’t give me nearly enough money to be able to afford my textbooks this semester,” said Kim Fopir, a biology major at CCM. “Instead of depleting my entire bank account, I figured ‘Why not just sell Pearson my soul?’ I’m not really using it at the moment, and I need to be able to access MyUselessGenEdLab. Pazuzu, king of the demons of the wind, brother of Humbaba and son of the god Hanbi probably needs it more than me anyway.”

Andy Tupelo, an accounting major at CCM, agreed.

“It was very easy and a lot less painstaking than saving up all of the holiday money I made at work for my textbooks,” Tupelo said. “I’m a righty, so I don’t really need my left arm anyway.”

The textbook giants also have many more alternative payment plans that are being developed. According to a representative from Pearson, “Come 2019, we will begin allowing students to pay with: talents, special abilities or overwhelmingly positive traits that make them who they are and define every single facet of their being.”

These new options are garnering a lot of excitement on campus.

“I can’t wait until they let me pay for my $400 chemistry textbook with my ability to play guitar,” said Brad Comb, a meta-chemical engineering student at CCM. “Yeah, I really enjoy playing music, but that isn’t going to pay for college.”

Authors of many of the textbooks sold by McGraw-Hill and Pearson, however, are none too pleased with the companies’ decisions.

“Maybe if these kids didn’t spend their money on ornately decorated cups of coffee, they’d be able to pay me $250 for a book that features a bunch of information they can find online for free,” said William S. Spouter, author of Fundamentals of Post-Modern Physics. “Stop giving these spoiled brats an easy way out.”

Many of the authors want to revert back to the cash-based system because it is harder for them to receive “proper compensation for their work,” as Spouter explained. This is because it takes much longer for the publishers to get contacts on the black market or meet with representatives of hellish, otherworldly beings that exchange money for souls or talents that they can gain elemental energy from.

“It’s a long process, but the return is just the same as normal currency,” said James Nailbright, head of metaphysical chthonic demon-based transactions for Pearson.

“Alternative payment plans are making it easier on everyone,” Nailbright continued. “We want to make things easier on students’ wallets, even if that means being more strenuous on their physical and metaphysical well-beings.”

The Environmental Club at County College of Morris has changed the course of world history by reversing climate change. Through a sequence of many complex, exhausting meetings, students and faculty drafted the Climate Change by Morris Bill and pressured local governments for sustainable environmental policy. As of Monday, Jan. 29, 49 states have passed the legislation, and the United Nations is currently hearing it as a treaty, ignoring all of its procedures to consider sponsoring the bill.

The first part of the CCM bill brings fracking and animal agriculture to a complete halt. The second part starts a clean energy initiative by investing in sustainable and green design. The third part of the bill redirects annual amounts of grains, previously used to feed meat-production livestock, to feed 1.3 billion internally displaced persons and refugees.

CCM has become the catalyst for environmental policy reform. On Tuesday, Feb. 20, the United States Environmental Protection Agency announced a reversal in climate change.

Members of the Environmental club spend up to 18 hours a week dedicated to protecting the environment.

Because CCM students are from many different areas, including Pennsylvania, New York, and South Jersey, they had an enormous influence and made a significant impact on state and local government. New Jersey senators then took initiative to advocate the CCM bill and present it to congress.

The new bill has not yet become a federal law. The United Nations was impressed by the success of the CCM bill and will introduce it as an international treaty. This will change life all over the globe.

Professor Rich Onceler, of the science department, has encouraged many students to join the environmental club, although he does not offer extra credit for participation.

“They really put a lot of thought into this, and that’s what environmental science is about,” Onceler said. “We don’t focus on a specific detail; We study the big picture and bring attention to every minute detail.”

Tayler Grimm, a biology major at CCM, has participated in the environmental club basically forever.

“I just hope polar bears will survive long enough to see the benefits of this bill,” Grimm said. “We’re already drafting our next proposal to ban the production and use of plastic straws; they’re so bad for the environment.”

Kyber Bolton, a psychology major at CCM, attends local meetings regarding environmental policy but is unable to attend club meetings because she has class during college hour.

“I prefer my water and my atmosphere without carcinogens,” she said.

Permafrost melting in the arctic and parts of Alaska has led to a drastic decrease in the polar bear species. Increased intensity of seasonal storms are devastating countries all around the world. Natural disasters are wellsprings of homeless, sick, beautiful people that desperately need to be relocated, fed, and cared for. The advancement of these catastrophic effects has been directly linked to anthropocentric behavior and lack of concern for future generations’ living conditions.

Toxic chemicals within our ozone cannot be removed easily. The damage already done to the atmosphere will continue to influence global climate for years to come.

Pollution has been stopped in most states and activists are currently working to combat pollution simply by planting trees.

A resignation of a sitting president and the removal of four senators for lack of attendance HAS left the County College of Morris Student Government Association seeking new members.

The position of president had been filled by Grace Fenners, a biology major who has been at CCM for two and half semesters.

Last semester, Fenners was in the SGA as a senator of the safety committee but was appointed president after last semester’s president Karen Vasquez chose not to return.

Fenners said she enjoys the new position.

“I like it; I like the people; it’s definitely nice to work with the facility and staff and see what CCM has to offer,” Fenners said.

Fenners said that the SGA works as an active voice with the student body through surveys to provide a basis for what students think. She hopes to provide a voice for the students’ health, happiness, and safety.

Faculty adviser Don Phelps said SGA is big on recruitment and has a lot of vacant positions to fill. The next meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 27, and the club is hoping to fill some executive board positions and a majority of the senate positions available.

Phelps, the associate director of campus life, said the SGA is involved with various cases at CCM such as working with the Muslim Student Association in its request for a mediation room as well as with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an independent corporation which accredits colleges including CCM.

Phelps said he hopes for there to be more awareness of the student government, so students know where to go if they have an issue.

“I think one of the challenges here, especially at CCM, is that students don’t know that they have a student government,” Phelps said.

Megan Frehill, a nursing major, said she is satisfied with her experience at CCM so far; she enjoys the events CCM offers and said that the SGA should continue to hold events because they are enjoyable.

“It’s a really, really nice community college,” Frehill said. “It feels like a bigger college because it has so much to offer.”

Phelps said if students are interested in SGA to contact them at sga@student.ccm.edu to make a difference.

UPDATE: A shorter version of this article was posted online at approximately 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21. The full version that was published in print was published online at approximately 10 p.m.

Pieces from local female artists, including some CCM professors, are being exhibited in the art gallery in the Learning Resource Center through March. Above: ‘Spanish Jewels, 2’ by Professor Leah Tomaino, art and design department. Below: ‘She Plants at Midnight’ by Linda Snider-Ward. PHOTOS BY ALEXA WYSZKOWSKI

By Luis RodriguezContributor

County College of Morris’ art and design gallery in the Learning Resource Center is hosting an exhibit throughout February and March featuring work from the National Association of Women Artists.

The NAWA’s purpose is to promote artwork done by women artists in the United States. Featured artists include CCM art and design professors Andrea Kelly, Marisol Ross, and Leah Tomaino.

“The CCM art and design gallery’s mission is to present a series of exhibitions each year that feature the works of CCM students, local and regional artists and other noteworthy presentations,” said Todd Doney, gallery curator and professor of the art and design department. “National Association of Women Artists is the oldest woman’s fine art organization in the country. It is an active community of professional women artists that strives to support its members and women artists at large through exhibition, programs and education. The founders of NAWA envisioned an organization which would promote higher standards for women artists and provide them with the opportunity to exhibit their work.”

The exhibition title is “Open Horizons,” Doney said that the theme chosen by the NAWA is meant to express that “no matter how challenging the times are, the horizon of the future is always open.”

Doney said that horizons can often be found in different aspects of art.

“Even in abstract concepts, horizons can be found in the divisions of space, a landscape, or a sea or cityscape,” Doney said. “If you want to see some wonderful art, the CCM art and design gallery is where you should go”.

The art and design gallery is featuring the artwork by the NAWA from February through March. Anyone that wants to see the artwork on display can go to the art and design gallery that is in the lower LRC. The gallery is open on Mondays through Wednesdays from noon to 5 p.m. and Fridays from noon to 4 p.m.

Alexander J. Kucsma seeks signatures from students, professors, staff

County College of Morris Professor, Alexander J. Kucsma, who announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in The Youngtown Edition on Oct. 11, 2017, began his petition drive on Wednesday, Jan. 31.

Kucsma needs 1,000 signatures to qualify to have his name placed on the ballot. Petitions are available in the English department CH 300 and in CH 333. Those signatures are to be presented to the New Jersey Board of Election before April.

Kucsma has taught at County College of Morris for over 40 years and has an extensive political resume that includes serving as Mayor of Franklin Township, NJ.

According to Youngtown’s Oct.11 issue, Alexander J Kucsma is running under a federally registered trademark, Democratic Liberty Tea, to bring attention to the elimination of money as a deciding factor for legislation and policy.

On his website, alexkucsma.com, Kucsma proclaims himself a Democratic, pro-life candidate.

“I am asking the faculty, staff and former students to give me a chance to run against a candidate whose first trial for corruption ended in a hung jury and whose second trial on those same charges has recently been announced,” Kucsma said. “I hope the County College of Morris will be the first county college or college in the nation to use its power to qualify a candidate to run for office. I hope some student organization will assist me in the effort to get on the ballot which will give me a platform to advocate for community colleges on the Federal level.”

Kucsma said that he has helped advocate for New Jersey community colleges in the past.

“In 1991, as President of the Association of New Jersey County College Faculty, I coordinated with Larry Nespoli, of the New Jersey Council of Community Colleges, to gain parity with the state colleges on health benefits,” Kucsma said. “College faculty who retire after 25 years of service qualify for the same health benefits as employees of four-year colleges. I was instrumental and credited with suggesting the STARS II program, which became the most successful merit basic scholarship in the history of New Jersey.”

Kucsma said that he has some goals for after the election.

“My next goal in the Senate will be to make certain that every graduate of a county college in our state receives a check for $5,000 upon the completion of a degree program,” Kucsma said. “This state needs an educated workforce, and county colleges need an incentive for students to complete a degree program. Our state does not have the money to initiate such a program. I will find funds on the federal level. They will include $2,500 for students completing a one-year certificate program at a community college. This is an idea whose time has come, and it needs a statewide advocate. I hope to be that person.”

According to democraticlibertytea.org, the party comprises five basic principles.

The party advocates to reduce government spending to common sense levels with-out placing excessive burdens on tax payers or small businesses.

Kucsma said he wants to restore military spending, including funding NASA, to keep our country the foremost military power in the world and continue to lead in space exploration.

He also wants to enact market-based nationwide health insurance that will limit exclusion for pre-existing conditions. Additionally, he hopes to support legislation designed to combat illegal immigration including support for increased funding for the Immigration Department to secure U.S. borders and ensure visitors entering our country abide by the terms and condition of their entry visas.

Kucsma said he provides unprecedented freedom to Liberty Tea Party members to vote their conscience or constituency on issues of morals; this does not include war because war represents national policy. Members are free to support or not support issues such as gay marriage or abortion without objections from other party members.

To enforce this freedom, discussion of such issues is prohibited between members to separate politics from religion and politics from issues of conscience.

According to the website, the party aims to reform the Democratic Party by rejecting liberal progressivism. Candidates who run under Democratic Liberty Tea are required to follow the organizations set principles and pay a $100 registration fee as well as a one percent royalty fee for campaign funds if elected.

While many students leave campus and don retail store uniforms, restaurant aprons, or other workplace attire, there are a portion of people who stay on campus for an extended period of time because it is also their workplace.

On-campus jobs are acquired through the Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education.

Katherine Mahone, a communication major at CCM, began working in the Office of College Advancement during the spring 2018 semester. Because she plans on studying public relations, she said this internship is especially exciting. Along with composing necessary college releases such as the Titan Alerts, CCM’s emergency alert system, she will also have the opportunity to write spotlights on professors, faculty and students.

Mahone said she will be able to use this experience in the future. Unlike other internships, working in the public relations department at CCM will consist of less errands and more writing.

“If you are a PR intern anywhere else, you’re bound to be just getting coffee for someone,” Mahone said.

Students also gravitate toward on-campus jobs in other departments. Henry Agyei, a computer science major is a student employee in the CCM Learning Resource Center. Agyei said he enjoys his job in the LRC where he mainly works on organizing CCM archives.

“I’ve had moving jobs with moving companies, retail jobs with clothing, furniture; I’ve had social media jobs,” Agyei said. “This one is the most peaceful [jobs] I’ve ever had.”

He said that working at CCM has also been a great way of meeting friends on campus and getting to know fellow students.

Both Mahone and Argyea said their jobs were especially helpful for their flexible hours, which can be a lifesaver when the semester moves toward midterms or finals.

The college also makes a point to put students in departments that would be most beneficial to their major or future careers. Rosemary Grant, the associate director of career services and cooperative education is one of the people who help determine what positions would be a good fit.

“For our nursing students for example, we would steer them toward the nursing lab, exercise science we would steer towards the fitness center, computer science we would steer towards the help desk,” Grant said. “So, if there’s places on campus where students can gain career type of experiences at a very entry level, I think that’s super helpful.”

Grant’s department is also a resource for students and alumni when looking for positions in their field, building resumes, and preparing for the workforce. Students interested in finding out more about on-campus jobs or help finding a job off-campus can stop by the office of career services and cooperative education in CH 203.

Students made stuffed animals to support Passaic charity

By Gina N. FicoFeatures Editor

The Student Community Center at County College of Morris transformed into the Student Activities Planning Board’s Valentine’s Day Teddy Bear Factory Tuesday, Feb. 13 when participants paid to make stuffed animals to raise funds for a charitable cause.

CCM has been hosting Teddy Bear Factories for the past 10 years, according to Don Phelps, associate director of campus life. The cost is $5 which covers the stuffing and an unstuffed animal of a bear, monkey, or a cow.

Phelps said the charities change each year and added in the past the money went toward an equine center, autism research, cancer research, and a particular family in the CCM community. This year, donations went toward SMILE, a food and diaper pantry out of Passaic. SMILE also has other programs such as case management, help for refugees, and mental health. He said SAPB members pick the charity and that the event raises $500.

“It brings together students, faculty, and staff, and watching the interactions and people build their bears is really special,” Phelps said.

Jasmin Moreno, vice president of SAPB and a business administration major said this is a very popular event at CCM.

“I like the fact that people can come up and be really enthusiastic about getting a bear, and you are the one who gets the bear, gets the stuffing, gets the decorations and make someone have fun for a half hour,” Moreno said.

April Pachas, a nursing major, said she likes that the proceeds of this event are going to a good cause.

“I didn’t expect all these people to come and all the money is going to charity, so that’s great,” Pachas said.

Sophia Meola, an exercise science major, said the event is something that she finds relieves stress.

She said she is going to give the stuffed cow she made to her mother for Valentine’s Day.

Marianne Enriquez, an exercise science major, said she drove from work to make a bear and spend time with her friend.

“It’s really cute and it’s not expensive and it’s going to a good cause”, Enriquez said.

Students can gift their stuffed animal to someone for Valentine’s Day or keep it for themselves. The Equal Opportunity Fund also had a table there, giving students the option to donate their stuffed animal to children at Morristown Medical Center, according to Jonathan Vega, human services major and EOF member.

A County College of Morris professor that suffered a heart attack on campus Wednesday, Jan. 31 was saved by some fast acting students and first responders.

Shortly before 2 p.m. while walking on the pathway up the hill beside the Health and Physical Education building, the faculty member stumbled and immediately lost consciousness, according to Dr. Bette Simmons, vice president of student development and enrollment management. Youngtown could not obtain the individual’s name because of patient confidentiality.

Nearly a week later, the professor was conscious and responding to treatment, and he is now poised for a full recovery, according to Simmons.

Some students who witnessed the incident called 911 while others provided aid personally.

One student who participated was an emergency medical technician, according to Simmons. As a result, he was able to assess the professor’s condition and act appropriately.

“He monitored his carotid artery, gave him 30 compressions, and then he proceeded to administer the automated external defibrillator (AED),” said health and exercise science professor William McHugh who retrieved and set up an AED. Meanwhile, a team from public safety arrived, and an officer promptly offered the professor mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. By this time, the paramedics had reached the scene.

“He was breathing and he had a pulse,” McHugh said. “We felt that we had hope.”

Soon thereafter, the professor was stabilized and elevated onto a sheet by the students and staff. He was then placed onto a gurney and rushed to the hospital by the paramedics.

According to Simmons, there was no delay in responding because the first responders had knowledge of appropriate emergency behavior and acted accordingly. Indeed, students and staff who may have never interacted together suddenly banded together as a team to save a fellow colleague.

“It is simply amazing how quickly those students acted; I saw how emotionally drained they were, and they truly deserve to be commended,” said Simmons, who witnessed the aftermath. “The college has trained more than 200 staff members in CPR and first aid treatment. This is the second time in three years that a regrettable incident like this has occurred, but nevertheless has ended positively.”
Also, she said that CCM had, and still has, the resources that were crucial in administering first aid treatment. The defibrillator was easily accessed, the paramedics were promptly alerted, and public safety responded within minutes.

Simmons and Dr. Michael Paul, chairperson of the health and exercise science department, said that students should take the CPR and First Aid Course offered at CCM.

“It teaches you not only theory but how to work on a team and that is crucial in emergency situations,” Paul said.